Falling from Grace
by sofia313
Summary: To Klaus and Kol it was just a usual fun and bloody night out, to 8-years-old Eva it was the end of her life as she knew it. Unfortunately for her "daddies" some mistakes simply refuse to stay buried.
1. The last sunset

_Mocked by man to depths of shame_  
_Little girl with life ahead_  
_For a memory of one kind word_  
_She would stay among the beasts_

_Time for one more daring dream_  
_Before her escape, edenbeam_  
_We kill with her own loving heart_

_Eva flies away_  
_Dreams the world far away_  
_In this cruel children's game_  
_There's no friend to call her name_

_Eva sails away_  
_Dreams the world far away_  
_The good in her will be my sunflower field_

_Nightwish - Eva_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**The last sunset**

Glastonbury, England 1512

The sunset looked particularly beautiful this evening; I had a brief moment to admire it while taking the wastewater out. I stopped and looked at it, enjoying the last sunrays disappearing below the horizon. I was sometimes afraid of the dark, even though my papa had told me that the sun was like a traveler who never stopped moving, but no matter how dark the night would be, the sun would always return in the end. Maybe when the sun wasn't here it went to heaven to bring light to papa and mama. I looked up and waved, hoping that they could see me.

"Eva!" Uncle John shouted from inside. "Hurry up!"

Quickly I returned to the kitchen with my empty bucket, I had a lot of potatoes to peel before the tavern would be full. Uncle John was the innkeeper, he and my cousin Lena had taken care of the tavern after aunt Mary had died. They had taken me in after my parents had died and I was more than grateful, I knew that I wouldn't be alive now without them. Uncle John was a big and scary man, he had a short temper, but he only beat me up when I deserved it. I knew that I was slow and clumsy; I dropped steins and overcooked the stew. Cousin Lena was a barmaid, sometimes she dropped steins as well, but Uncle John wasn't mad at her.

I peeled the potatoes as quickly as I could and lifted the cauldron above the fireplace. It was getting dark so I lit up few candles and continued stirring the stew. I heard the usual cheerful voices coming behind the door, there seemed to be a lot of people here this evening. I wasn't allowed to leave the kitchen, according to Uncle John, his customers came here in order to forget their brats and nagging wives. I startled when the door suddenly opened and Uncle John marched in. He picked up a spoon and tasted the stew.

"It will do," he grunted. "Two portions and some bread."

I nodded and started to prepare the portions. He grabbed the plates and marched out. I yawned, wondering how long it would take this evening before I could go to sleep. I would have to wash the dishes and wake up early tomorrow morning; there were plenty of chores to do. I hummed quietly while placing few plates on the table, I was sure that they would be needed soon. Uncle John came in again, taking more food to hungry customers. The voices were getting louder as the men got drunker, but suddenly it was very quiet. That was weird, but the silence didn't last for long, so I didn't pay much attention to it.

"Innkeeper, steins for everyone!" a man's voice announced, followed by many loud cheers.

"A toast for the generous lords!" someone said.

Lords? There weren't usually many lords here; at least I didn't think so. Most of the customers were from the village, farmers, traders, craftsmen, soldiers and so on.

"Thank you, good people," the man's voice continued. "My brother and I are here tonight to have some fun and we want you all to join us!"

There were more cheers and toasts; I wondered what was going on. Everyone sounded cheerful and someone started to play lute. Had these lords brought this musician with them? People were clapping their hands and singing, the lords ordered more ale for everyone. I was curious to see what these lords looked like, but I didn't want to anger Uncle John so I stayed in the kitchen. The celebration went on and on, apparently no one wanted to eat anymore, so I moved the caldron away from the fireplace. Uncle John hadn't brought me any dirty dishes so I couldn't even start washing them. I yawned and nestled in front of the fireplace, I was exhausted.

"Is everyone having a good time?" I heard one of the lords asking.

"Yes!"

"Good. Then I think we can start the real festivities. What do you think, brother?"

"Oh yes."

What were they talking about; they had celebrated for at least two hours? I yawned and struggled to keep my eyes open, when a sudden scream startled me.

"Demons!" someone shouted.

"Oh, that is not a nice thing to say."

There were more screams and the most horrifying laughter I had ever heard. I got to my feet as quickly as I could and ran to the door. Why didn't I run outside, I had no idea, I only wanted to see that Uncle John and cousin Lena were alright. What I saw was too terrible to understand, there were bloody bodies and body parts lying all over the floor, some of them were still alive and tried to crawl towards the door. The man who was holding the lute whistled while guarding the exit, no one would get out. Then I saw the two lords, they were standing next to the counter, holding cousin Lena in their arms. Her eyes had widened in terror, she was trying desperately to breathe, I saw wounds on her neck.

"Would you like to play with us, darling?" the other lord asked, he had dark hair and dark eyes. Tears were coursing down cousin Lena's cheeks; she was looking straight at me. I didn't think, I simply acted, I had to help her. I shouted furiously and attacked, biting, scratching, and kicking them both. Some man attacked them at the same time, trying to hit them with his sword. They dropped cousin Lena on the floor and concentrated on the man, few seconds later he was dead. I continued fighting and apparently I succeeded to harm at least one of them, I tasted the blood in my mouth. They growled and one of them threw me on the counter. Before I could move, I felt a sting on my neck and on my wrist, they were biting me. I couldn't move or breathe, I felt myself fading away.

"Damn it… She is a child…"

That was the last thing I heard before everything went black.

* * *

**What do you think, continue or not? I might leave this as a one-shot.**


	2. Far from Paradise

**Thank you for your reviews, favs and alerts, I decided to continue this. Answer to the guest question, this won't be a romance story, at least not in the traditional way :) There will be some dark aspects in the story and the rating may change later.**

* * *

_Blood red skies, I feel so cold_  
_No innocence, we play our role_  
_The wheel embodies all where are we going_

_All in all you'd expect the wise to be wiser_  
_Fallen from grace_  
_All and all I guess_  
_We should have known better, 'cause..._

_What about us?_  
_Isn't it enough,_  
_No we're not in Paradise  
_  
_This is who we are_  
_This is what we got_  
_No, it's not our Paradise_

_Within Temptation –Paradise_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Far from Paradise**

I couldn't move. Why couldn't I move? Was there something wrong with my body? After a long struggle I managed to open my eyes, but I regretted it immediately, all I saw was a pair of glassy, dead eyes of a man who was lying on top of me. I tried to scream, but I couldn't make a sound, I was panicking. I wanted to push the man off me, but I couldn't move my hands. What had happened to me?

I smelled the dirt and death all around me, I was in a grave. When I saw some kind of insect squirming out of the man's nose, I screamed, although it filled my mouth with dirt. My hands and legs were moving furiously; apparently my panic gave me strength. Up, I needed to dig myself out of here. Which way was up? There were more dead eyes and bloody body parts everywhere; I was trapped in the middle of them. Hands, legs, heads… Was this hell? Silent sobs that escaped my throat shook my body, but my fingers kept digging desperately.

Some bodies were clearly older than others; they had already been partly decomposed. The smell was morbid; I fought the urge to vomit. But how could I have vomit, my mouth was full of dirt. There were all kinds of insects feeding on the bodies, the thought of them eating me alive made me panic even more. I cried and dug, praying that this was a nightmare. If this really was hell, there would be no way out, I would be here forever…

_"I am sorry,"_ I pleaded silently. _"Please, Lord, forgive me, I will do anything… Please do not leave me here…"_

Nothing happened, I cried even harder.

_"Mama, papa, please help me."_

They couldn't help me, they were in heaven and I was in hell, I couldn't understand what sin I had committed that was so bad. Why did I deserve this? My fingers were still digging, slowly I was moving up. Were there flames there, an eternal torture like father Thomas had said? I didn't stop digging; I couldn't stay here, even if there were flames up there. Finally my hand reached the surface, I felt raindrops hitting it. I used all my strength and pulled myself up from my horrible prison. The smell of death was everywhere, even though the pouring rain felt divine.

Somehow I managed to get on my trembling feet, my dress was torn and I was filthy. I didn't think that I could never be clean again. Cautiously I looked around, it was dark, but I recognized this place. It was the mass grave behind the cemetery, the place where people had been buried during the plague. No… I couldn't understand… No, I wasn't dead. I wasn't dead, I wasn't… I fell on my knees and threw up, my sobs turned into screams. What had happened to me?

* * *

6 months later

"Another attack?" Elijah asked calmly.

One of Niklaus' lackeys nodded.

"Yes, my lord, last night. This newborn vampire seems to be completely out of control."

Elijah frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, the matter needed to be taken care of as soon as possible. Why there were always fools who had to turn unstable humans?

"Does my brother know about this?"

The lackey, whose name was Digory, nodded.

"Yes, my lord, lord Klaus ordered me to gather a hunting party for tonight; we shall find and kill this newborn."

"Good," Elijah huffed. "He or she have already caused more than enough problems, there are all kinds of rumors spreading around amongst peasants."

Digory nodded.

"Yes, this newborn is certainly not subtle. Are you joining us for the hunt, my lord?"

Elijah hesitated, he wasn't sure if he wanted to spend his night chasing some unstable young vampire.

"Probably not," he replied carelessly.

Digory bowed respectfully and left. Elijah looked at his book that was lying on the table, but he didn't feel like continue reading. He sighed and walked in front of the fireplace, pondering how to spend his evening. Niklaus was in his chamber with his new favorite mistress, Kol and Rebekah were out and there were no social responsibilities this evening. Perhaps a ride in the woods… On the other hand, he could join that hunting party. After a moment of consideration he decided that the idea didn't sound so bad, at least it would be more interesting than sitting in the library by himself. Who knew, it might even be fun.


	3. Just like you

**Again, thank you for all reviews, favs and alerts :) About the question is she going to be a normal vampire, if you meant is she going to grow up, no she won't, like all vampires, she won't physically age.**

* * *

_Across darkened skies, I travelled without a light_  
_I sank in the well, of my mind_  
_Too deep, never to be found_

_Sonata Arctica – The End of This Chapter_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Just like you**

"We got it! This way!"

Elijah heard the hounds barking; apparently they had found their prey. Quickly he dismounted and left his horse to one of the younger vampires, he didn't even bother trying to recall his name. Everyone else had left their horses behind as well, they were all moving with their vampire speed. The night was starless and the moon was behind the dark clouds, there was no light except what few torches could supply. Elijah wasn't carrying one, he didn't have to, that was what Niklaus' lackeys were for.

They were all young and eager to please their master; Niklaus certainly knew how to take full advantage of that. His brother just loved the combination of being feared and worshiped; all these young vampires idolized him. Elijah didn't really care about such things, he was respected and obeyed; that was enough. He spent so much time being controlled and discreet that sometimes he truly enjoyed hunting like this, getting to use his speed and heightened senses. Elijah slowed down when he saw the hounds and their handler ahead. One of Niklaus' best trackers, a short, but deadly man called Hoyt was also with them; he was standing silently next to the entrance of a cave. He had probably located their prey before the hounds.

"It went there," he stated calmly. "There is no other way out."

Elijah looked at the cave, it seemed quite small, a bear's den perhaps. The hounds were barking furiously, but their handler seemed to be in control, as he definitely should be. Digory grinned and unsheathed his sword.

"Let's get it then."

The others followed his example and approached the entrance. Elijah wasn't sure if he wanted to go inside, this phase was always very messy, no doubt this newborn, as unstable as he might be, would fight like a cornered animal. On the other hand, Niklaus' lackeys had a tendency to play with their prey when Elijah preferred quick clean kills, at least in most cases. Usually these unstable vampires were abandoned by their makers, perhaps tortured before being turned. Elijah knew how sadistic some vampires, including his brothers, could be, but he himself found such behavior barbaric. Perhaps he should make sure that everything went smoothly…

"My lord?" Digory's voice said from the cave, he sounded a bit strange. "Perhaps you should take a look at this."

Elijah frowned and entered the cave.

"Take a look at what?"

All Niklaus' lackeys had gathered around one corner of the cave, they all had their swords on their hand and few of them were holding torches.

"This…I have never…" Digory muttered.

Elijah moved next to him and looked at the creature in the corner. It's back was arched and it was hissing like a cat, showing its little fangs and trying desperately to find a way to escape. Elijah's eyes widened in shock when he realized what he was looking at, underneath all that filth and dried blood there was a little girl. Her dark hair was dirty and tangled and she was almost naked, there were only some filthy rags, which had probably been a dress, hanging on her.

"Dear Lord…" Elijah muttered. "What kind of monster would…"

He couldn't even finish his sentence; he had never seen something like this before. What kind of sick vampire would turn a helpless child and then abandon her? Poor child was acting like an animal, who knew what she had been trough.

"What…what shall we do, my lord?" Digory muttered.

"Lower your weapons and get out, all of you," Elijah replied without hesitation. "Leave the torches."

None of them argued, they left as quickly as they could. Elijah could never recall seeing them so confused before, clearly this was new for them as well. The little vampire was observing their every move vigilantly, seeking for an opportunity to get away. After the others had left, she turned her gaze towards Elijah, the remaining threat. It took a moment before he managed to speak, the whole situation still felt unreal to him.

"Hello," he said as calmly and clearly as he could. "My name is Elijah and I am not going to hurt you. Do you understand?"

She didn't show in any way that she would have understood him, she simply stared at him.

"Everything is alright," he continued with the same calm tone. "You are safe; no one is going to harm you."

She didn't move, but her whole body was tense, she was prepared to defend herself. He wondered if she would be able to understand his words at all, who knew how shattered her mind was. Clearly her primal instincts had taken over, she only wanted to survive. He could tell that she hadn't been a vampire for very long, but obviously long enough, especially if she had spent that time by herself.

"Everything is alright," he repeated, hoping to get some kind of reaction. "Can you say something to me, sweetheart, anything?"

He took a step towards her, but that was a mistake, she growled and attacked him. Fortunately he was prepared for that, he caught her in the middle of her leap and pushed her gently but firmly against the wall, trapping her hands on her sides. She growled, hissed and struggled with all the might of her small body, but he didn't let go, she needed to realize that he was stronger than her, perhaps then he would get trough to her. It took a long while before she seemed finally getting tired, but she still didn't give up. She looked up and glared at him, still hissing and showing her fangs. Elijah smiled and revealed his own fangs. Her eyes widened in wonder or perhaps in fear, he wasn't sure.

"You see?" he said calmly. "I am just like you; there is no reason to be afraid."

She stared at him for a long time and for the first time he saw some kind of clarity in her eyes. Her mouth opened, it seemed almost as she would have tried to remember how to use words.

"Hurt?"

That one, insecure word held more emotion than anything Elijah had ever heard before. He swallowed and shook his head.

"No, sweetheart, I am not going to hurt you, I swear."

Slowly her eyes were watering up; she tried to move her hand. He released her from his grip and she jumped on him again, but this time she wrapped her little arms tightly around him.

"Papa?"

Elijah felt a sting in his heart; gently he stroked her tangled hair and lifted her in his arms. She was so small, like a doll.

"It's alright," he muttered. "Everything is going to be alright."


	4. Bad

**Answer to MidnightSilver's question, yes, she will be 8 years old forever, physically.**

* * *

_I was born amidst the purple waterfalls._  
_I was weak, yet not unblessed._  
_Dead to the world, alive for the journey._  
_One night I dreamt a white rose withering,_  
_A newborn drowning a lifetime loneliness._  
_I dreamt all my future. Relived my past._  
_And witnessed the beauty of the beast._

_Nightwish – Bless The Child_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Bad**

Elijah gritted his teeth, trying to hold back his anger while riding back to the castle. The little vampire was sitting on his lap, her arms still wrapped tightly around him, like she would be afraid that he would suddenly disappear. He couldn't even begin imagining how scared and confused she must have been, not understanding what she was and what had happened to her. Clearly she hadn't known that there were others like her, which indicated that her maker had probably left her by herself before she had even completed her transition. Elijah was determined to find the bastard and make him pay, there were things that simply weren't acceptable. The girl's body had started slowly to relax, but she tensed again when she realized that there was settlement ahead. She looked up and shook her head.

"Hurt."

She probably meant that people had tried to hurt her while trying to defend their cattle; apparently she had also attacked some peasants.

"No one is going to hurt you," he said calmly. "We will go to my home. Do you understand?"

She hesitated and tilted her head on the side.

"Home?"

"Yes, home. Do you know what a home is?"

He wasn't sure if that was a foolish question, but he couldn't know what her mental state was exactly. She bit her bottom lip and nodded.

"Home. Papa."

She leaned her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him again. Thankfully Niklaus' lackeys, as curious as they clearly were, were smart enough to keep their distance, all except Digory who Elijah had sent ahead to order the maids to prepare a bath for the girl. He had instructed the younger vampires for not to say anything to Niklaus yet, he would do it himself. But first things first, the girl really needed a bath and some clothes. She looked around cautiously when they passed a gatehouse and arrived to a courtyard.

"It's alright," Elijah assured and dismounted holding the girl in his arms. She growled quietly when Digory approached them with a blanket.

"Everything is ready, my lord," the younger vampire said, trying his best to sound casual.

Elijah took the blanket and wrapped it around the girl; that seemed like the proper thing to do since she was practically naked.

"Everything is alright," he muttered calmingly and carried the girl inside. Obviously she was cautious, but she also seemed to trust him for not planning to harm her. He carried her to his chamber where the maids had prepared the bath. There were two of them; they curtsied when he entered the room, the girl tensed immediately.

"Have my sister returned?" he asked.

"Yes, my lord," one of the maids replied.

"Good, please inform her that I require her presence and stress the urgency of the matter. You may both go; I will not need your services at the moment."

Both maids were staring at the creature in his arms, but they knew better than to ask any questions, they simply curtsied and left. Carefully Elijah placed the girl on the floor; she looked up and took his hand.

"Home?" she asked insecurely.

He smiled at her and nodded.

"Yes, sweetheart, we are home."

Slowly she let go of his hand and looked around, scanning her surroundings. Elijah truly hoped that Rebekah would agree to help her to take a bath, obviously the maids couldn't do that and somehow he found the thought of doing it himself improper. She took few insecure steps around the room, but she was careful for not to touch anything. She stared at his canopy bed, the desk, the closet, the wooden chest next to the bed, the fireplace, the books lying on the table and finally the bathtub. Elijah stayed quiet, wanting to allow her to finish her inspection, but she didn't have time when the door suddenly flew open.

"What is it…" Rebekah's bored voice started. "What is this smell…"

The girl turned to the door in a fraction of a second, her fangs came out and she growled. Rebekah froze when she noticed the little vampire, her eyes widened and her mouth floundered open and closed.

"What…"

"It's alright," Elijah said to the girl. "This is my sister, Rebekah, she is also like us."

The girl observed Rebekah vigilantly; she was still ready to attack.

"I found her while looking for the unstable newborn," Elijah explained quietly.

His sister stared at the girl disbelievingly.

"She is that newborn?"

"So it seems."

Rebekah shook her head, she looked appalled.

"But… Who would… She is a child," she finally managed to say.

"Yes, and she is also a vampire," Elijah replied dryly and turned to the girl. "It's alright, she will not harm you, she is like us. Show her."

It took a moment before Rebekah realized what he meant and revealed her vampire face. The girl stared at her, she was still cautious.

"As you can see she needs a bath and I was hoping…" Elijah started.

"Go," Rebekah interrupted him firmly. "I will take it from here."

Elijah was surprised; he certainly hadn't expected his sister to agree to quickly. The girl looked at them both alternately and moved next to Elijah. He kneeled in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"My sister will help you to take a bath, she will not harm you," he explained calmly. "Do you understand?"

The girl hesitated, she seemed distressed.

"Papa…leave?" she asked clearly alarmed.

"No," Elijah replied gently. "I will not leave you, I promise. I will be back soon."

"Promise?" she demanded firmly.

Elijah smiled and nodded.

"Yes, sweetheart, I promise."

She turned her gaze towards Rebekah when he stood up and headed to the door.

"Are you sure that you…" he started.

"Go," Rebekah said determinedly.

Elijah glanced at his sister, he couldn't interpret her expression. After a brief hesitation he walked out and closed the door behind him. He stayed behind the door for a moment, just in case.

"Hi there," he heard Rebekah's voice saying. "My name is Rebekah. What is your name?"

She didn't get any answer, but apparently that didn't bother her.

"That is alright, you do not have to tell me if you do not want to. How about I call you a princess? You are pretty like a princess, but how about we clean you up a little? No? Oh well, I can enjoy the nice warm water all by myself then."

Elijah heard some splashing.

"So nice, too bad you do not want to try…"

Surprisingly Rebekah seemed to be on top of things, which was strange since she had never spent much time with children or shown any kind of interest towards them. But then again, this wasn't a normal child; Elijah had felt immediately protective towards her. After being sure that Rebekah would manage, Elijah took a moment in order to calm down and went to look for Niklaus. He wasn't in his chamber, but one of his lackeys informed Elijah that he was in the parlor. Elijah found him there with Kol, four women and several bottles of wine. There were two women sitting on Niklaus' lap and Kol was currently feeding on one woman while the other one sat next to him, caressing his thigh.

"Brother!" Niklaus greeted him. "How was the hunt? Did you find it?"

"I found something," Elijah replied tensely.

Kol raised his head and licked his bloody lips; the woman on his lap looked pale and dizzy.

"Something interesting?" he asked.

"You could say that, I found a small child who had been turned."

Suddenly he had both of his brothers' undivided attention.

"What?" they said almost simultaneously.

"I want to find the sick bastard who did it," Elijah said angrily.

"Wait, wait," Niklaus said. "You found a child vampire?"

"Yes."

"Where is it? Did you kill it?"

"No!" Elijah snapped. "She is in my chamber with Rebekah."

Niklaus' eyebrows furrowed.

"You brought it here…"

"This I have to see," Kol interrupted him grinning and stood up.

"Do not scare her, she is…" Elijah started but Kol had already zoomed out.

Elijah cursed and went after him; thankfully he reached his brother in time, just in front of the door to his chamber. Niklaus was right behind them, he certainly didn't share Kol's enthusiasm.

"What were you thinking bringing that thing here?" he snapped. "I will get rid of it right now."

Elijah didn't have time to say anything when Niklaus kicked the door open and marched in, followed by Kol. Rebekah was sitting on the bed, the little vampire on her lap. The girl was wearing an oversize white nightgown and Rebekah was brushing her wet hair. When the girl saw Niklaus and Kol, she panicked and jumped on the floor, hissing at them like a wild beast. Elijah walked past his brothers who seemed completely stunned and tried to calm the little vampire down.

"It's alright…"

She shook her head furiously and backed away.

"Bad!" she growled. "Hurt!"

"No, no," Rebekah said and tried to approach her. "They are not going to hurt you…"

She hissed at her warningly and continued backing away until her back hit the wall.

"Bad!"

Rebekah looked confused, but Elijah realized what she meant. Slowly he turned his piercing gaze towards his brothers.

"I believe we just found her maker."


	5. Little monster

_Mama, Papa_  
_Forgive me_

_Out of sight_  
_Out of mind_  
_Out of time_  
_To decide_

_Do we run?_  
_Should I hide?_  
_For the rest_  
_Of my life_

_Can we fly?_  
_Do I stay?_  
_We could lose_  
_We could fail_

_In the moment_  
_It takes_  
_To make plans_  
_Or mistakes_

_t.A.T.u – 30 Minutes_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Little monster**

"Which one of you was it?" Elijah asked icily.

"What?" his brothers asked simultaneously.

"You heard me," Elijah snapped. "Which one of you thought that it would be funny to turn a helpless child?"

The girl was observing them all vigilantly, she was growling menacingly and ready to attack. Rebekah on the other hand seemed shocked.

"You…"

"Just a minute here," Klaus snapped angrily. "Do you honestly think that I would have turned her? Why the hell would have I done that?"

Elijah took an angry step towards him.

"You tell me. Or was it you?"

Kol was glancing at the girl callously, suddenly his eyes narrowed.

"Shit…" he murmured.

"It was not either of us," Klaus snorted. "How nice of you to think so highly of us…"

"Nik," Kol muttered tensely. "Glastonbury."

Klaus frowned.

'"What are you…"

He never finished his sentence when he took a closer look at the girl, instead his whole body tensed.

"Impossible…"

They were both quiet, staring at the girl. Elijah crossed his arms over his chest and glared at them.

"What happened in Glastonbury?"

His brothers seemed tense to say the least, Kol was gritting his teeth and Klaus pressed his lips tightly together.

"A mistake," Klaus murmured. "But this was not our intention; she was supposed to be…"

"Dead?" Elijah finished icily. "You killed a little girl?"

"Not intentionally," Klaus snapped. "As I said, it was a mistake; she suddenly appeared from nowhere, it all happened very fast…"

"Would you like to play with us, darling?" the girl suddenly muttered.

Everyone turned to look at her, her whole body was shaking and she glared at Klaus and Kol, tears coursing down her cheeks.

"Hurt…Cold…Dark…"

"That was not our intention," Klaus said tensely. Kol stayed quiet and observed the girl curiously, he almost smiled. Klaus cleared his throat before continuing.

"Obviously she is too young to be a vampire, it is best to end her suffering…"

"Touch her and I will rip your lungs out!" Rebekah growled furiously and moved in front of the girl before Elijah managed to say anything.

Klaus frowned and looked at his sister.

"She is not some doll, Bekah. Sure she might look cute, but she would be like some very high maintenance pet, are you honestly telling me that you would…"

"You will not touch her," Elijah interrupted him coldly, moving next to Rebekah.

Klaus rolled his eyes.

"Oh please, you can not be serious…"

"Hold on, Nik," Kol said. "I believe they might be right."

Klaus stared at his disbelievingly.

"What?"

Kol smirked and looked at the girl thoughtfully.

"I will keep her."

The girl growled and showed him her fangs, making his smirk to grow wider.

"Have you lost your mind?" Klaus snapped. His other siblings seemed to be wondering the same thing. Kol chuckled and shook his head.

"Far from it. Just look at her, she is magnificent and with the right kind of training…"

"She is a child!" Elijah snapped. "You will both stay away from her!"

"Oh come on," Kol huffed. "This is my progeny you are talking about. Or Nik's, I'm not sure, but either way, she belongs to me more than she belongs to you. Isn't that right, darling?"

The girl growled even louder when Kol kneeled and held out his hand for her.

"Come here and say hi…"

The girl moved incredibly fast, in a fraction of a second, she had got around Elijah and Rebekah and jumped on Kol's back, sinking her little fangs in his neck. She managed to surprise Kol completely; he jumped to his feet, trying to get her off him. All his siblings were staring at them, looking more or less stunned. Kol growled angrily, still trying to get a hold on her. Klaus and Rebekah burst into laughter, when Elijah tried to take control of the situation.

"Careful, don't hurt her!"

Kol sent a murderous glare towards him.

"Me hurt her?" he growled. "Get her off me before I…"

The girl jumped on the floor before he managed to finish his sentence; she glared at him and moved next to Elijah.

"Good girl," Rebekah said smiling and touched her hair.

Obviously Kol didn't agree, he took a menacing step towards the girl.

"Hey, hey," Nik said still laughing. "The girl stays."

Kol's eyes darkened, he stormed out without saying a word.

"Oh my," Klaus chuckled. "I have not laughed this hard since… I cannot even remember."

Elijah on the other hand wasn't laughing; he knew how dangerous Kol was when he was angry.

"As I said, she can stay," Klaus said. "As long as she does not cause me trouble. And if someone takes care of her training."

"I will look after her," Elijah said immediately.

"Me too," Rebekah added.

Klaus grinned.

"How sweet. Well, you two have fun."

He turned his eyes towards the girl and winked.

"You be good now, little monster, or I will have to finish what I started."

She growled and backed away.

"Niklaus," Elijah murmured through clenched teeth.

Klaus rolled his eyes and turned to the door.

"I was kidding! No one has any sense of humor…"

Elijah and Rebekah were quiet for a while after Klaus had left, they both turned to look at the girl. She was observing them vigilantly, tilting her head to one side.

"I…bad?" she asked cautiously.

Elijah couldn't help but to smile.

"No sweetheart, but you must be more careful with those two."

"Hurt," she murmured.

"I know," Elijah sighed. "I am so sorry, I would definitely like to…"

Rebekah tapped his shoulder.

"Me too, believe me. How could they be so stupid?"

Elijah shook his head.

"You heard them; it was 'a mistake'. Unbelievable…"

The girl moved insecurely next to him and took his hand.

"I mistake?"

"No, no," Elijah said quickly and kneeled in front of her. "You are not a mistake, what happened to you was."

She looked into his eyes, trying to understand his words.

"What happened to me?" she repeated quietly.

Elijah bit his bottom lip, knowing that he would have to choose his words carefully; this was no doubt one of the most important conversations of her life.


	6. Hierarchy

_The world seems not the same_  
_Though I know nothing has changed_  
_It's all my state of mind_  
_I can't leave it all behind_  
_Have to stand up to be stronger_

_Within Temptation - Pale_

**Chapter 6**

**Hierarchy**

"Here we are," papa said after covering the window. "No sunlight."

I nodded.

"Sunlight hurts."

That was one of the first things I had learned, the pain. There had been a lot of pain after that. Papa's bed was soft, softer than anything I had ever slept. After making sure that no sunrays could get in, he walked next to me and tucked me in. My old papa had sometimes done that as well, at least I thought so. I couldn't remember much about my old life; it had disappeared with the light. My new papa sat down next to me and touched my hair.

"You are safe here, little one, try to get some sleep."

The old me had sometimes slept in a bed, the new me slept in caves or buried under the ground. The new me could see in the dark and wanted to drink blood. Papa had explained that it was normal to our kind, it was our nourishment. I couldn't really remember what food tasted like; I had only drunk blood for so long. I understood that the old me was gone, but I wasn't alone in the dark anymore.

My new papa had promised that he wouldn't leave me and his sister had been so kind towards me. Their other brothers weren't kind, they had killed the old me, but papa had promised that he wouldn't let them hurt the new me. It had all been very confusing, especially after I had waked up in the grave. I had been sure that God was punishing me and for days I had prayed for His forgiveness, but I hadn't had any kind of answer. Then the new me had taken over, I had instinctively known what my body had needed.

At first I had tried to find someone who would have helped me and guided me, but people had hurt me and called me a demon. My new papa didn't call me a demon, he had said that I was a brave girl and he would look after me. Rebekah had called me a princess and said that my sharp teeth were cute. That had made me happy; they didn't think that I was ugly. I didn't have to hide in the shadows; they accepted me the way I was, even though I had almost lost the old me.

"Papa?" I asked cautiously. All the words had started to come back to me, but after the long silence I had to struggle in order to remember how to use them.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can you…stay with me?"

He touched my cheek and nodded.

"Sure, sweetheart. Close your eyes."

I took his hand and placed it under my cheek before closing my eyes, I felt safer when I knew that he was there. I had nightmares every time when I fell asleep, usually about being on fire, I was always afraid that the sun would burn me when I slept, no matter how hard I tried to hide from it. Papa stroked my hair with his free hand and I yawned before curling into a fetal position. I felt safe and calm and it didn't take long before I fell asleep.

* * *

"Alright, Eva," Rebekah said. "This is a very important lesson."

I looked at her and papa alternately, I was still a little sleepy although I had slept the whole day, but most of all I was hungry.

"Do you understand everything we told you?"

I nodded; at least I hoped that I had understood everything. Rebekah opened the door; some woman entered the room and curtsied.

"Take a seat and stay quiet, everything is fine," Rebekah said calmly, looking into her eyes. "Do you remember what this is called?" she continued when the woman sat down on papa's bed.

"Compulsion," I replied, I was proud of myself for remembering that.

"Very good, sweetheart," papa said smiling. "And what did I tell you about using it?"

"Not for fun."

"That's right. Now it is dinner time, remember what we talked about."

I nodded and approached the woman; she was sitting motionlessly like a statue. She didn't say anything or even look at me when I took her hand and turned it around in order to see her wrist. I turned to look at papa and Rebekah; they gave me an encouraging nod. This felt a little strange, I had never fed like this, but I needed to try, I wanted to make papa proud.

The woman flinched a little when I bit her, but she didn't try to yank her hand away. I did as papa had said and listened to her heartbeat while feeding in order to know when to stop. It was very difficult, but papa had said that we shouldn't take lives for fun, the fact that we weren't humans anymore, didn't mean that we should act like some kind of beasts. I had to force myself to stop, I was still hungry.

"Very good, little one," papa said smiling when I turned to look at him.

"Wonderful," Rebekah added and clapped before kneeling in front of me with a handkerchief. "You ate very neatly, you barely made any mess," she continued while gently wiping my lips. "Well done."

Her words made me smile; my sharp teeth were still out. Rebekah smiled as well and touched my hair.

"You are so adorable."

"I am still hungry," I said cautiously.

Rebekah looked surprised and turned to look at papa. He said something to the woman who was still sitting on the bed and escorted her out. It didn't take long when he returned with another woman and I fed again. It took a third woman before I wasn't hungry anymore, after feeding on her I jumped in papa's arms and kissed his cheek, leaving a bloody mark.

"She is a growing child," Rebekah said. "It is normal that she needs more nourishment."

"Yes…" papa muttered and tapped my back. I sighed and leaned my head on his shoulder. I really liked my new family.

* * *

2 days later

Klaus had just returned from a little hunting trip and he felt like taking a nice warm bath. He wondered how Elijah and Rebekah had managed with their new pet; at least everything seemed to be in order so far, no bodies lying around. There had been no sight of Kol after his little confrontation with the miniature vampire, knowing Kol he was probably somewhere pouting.

Klaus was in an excellent mood when he headed towards his chamber, but the sudden screaming sound made him stop. It was coming from the big hall, but there was something strange about it. The sound wasn't a scream of terror; it was a scream of delight, followed by loud giggling. Klaus frowned and headed to the hall, his eyes widened when he reached the door. A group of his best lackeys was running around the hall, chased by the little vampire.

"Oh no, she caught me," Digory said and fell down theatrically when the girl grabbed his hand. "Save yourselves, boys!"

The girl laughed and chased the next one, she was incredibly fast. For a moment Klaus was speechless, what the hell was going on here? Finally he managed to clear his throat, everyone turned to look at him.

"My lord!" Digory said and jumped to his feet. "Welcome back."

Klaus eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps someone would like to tell me what is gong on here?"

All his lackeys seemed uncomfortable and the girl was glaring at him tensely. She was wearing a purple silk dress that would have fit for a princess, Elijah and Rebekah had certainly wasted no time.

"We…" Digory muttered. "She wanted to play and…"

For heaven's sake…

"I see," Klaus stated callously. "I believe you have…played enough."

He rubbed his temples when his lackeys left as quickly as they could. He was away for a day or so and the most vicious vampires he had ever met turned into nursemaids? The girl tried to leave as well, but he blocked her way.

"Just a moment, sweetheart."

She backed away and growled at him. That was actually kind of cute.

"Enough, little girl," he chuckled. "I only want to talk."

She looked at him suspiciously and tilted her head.

"Do you have a name?" he asked.

"Eva," she murmured.

"Alright, Eva. Just so you know, usually when some other vampire shows his or hers fangs to me like that, I rip their heart out, that is just disrespectful."

"Why should I respect you?" she asked defiantly.

He was amused, but he didn't show it, this was an important lesson to learn.

"Do you know what a hierarchy means?"

Judging by her confused look, she didn't know.

"I can explain that one to her," Kol's voice said from the door.

The girl growled again when he entered the room, obviously she didn't like either of them.

"It means that we are stronger than you and we can kill you before you even have time to blink. Are you with me so far, darling?"

She glared at them both, but she didn't growl anymore.

"It is not smart to challenge someone who is stronger than you," Kol continued. "Do you understand?"

"You hurt me…" she muttered.

"Yes, and we can easily do that again, personally I have no problem with that."

"Enough, Kol," Klaus huffed. "Look, little girl, what happened to you was an unfortunate accident, but those things happen sometimes. You are like us now, an immortal, so there is no point holding a grudge."

"Look who is talking…" Kol muttered, but Klaus ignored him. "It is true that we took your life, but we also gave you this new one. It is not all bad, would you agree?"

She didn't say anything, but her eyes were full of mixed feelings.

"To be honest, I have never guided anyone who I have turned, but I must admit that I find you an intriguing creature, little girl," Klaus continued. "Because of that and because you obviously need some guidance, I will offer you my protection."

The girl's eyes widened, she stared at him disbelievingly. Klaus rolled his eyes.

"This is a onetime offer, sweetheart, yes or no?"

"Papa is guiding me," she muttered.

Klaus raised his eyebrows.

"Papa?"

"Elijah," Kol huffed. "He and Bekah are teaching her how to be…a humanitarian vampire."

Klaus chuckled, that certainly sounded like Elijah, he was probably excited of having his very own little apprentice.

"Alright, fine. But that does not mean you would not need my help. What do you say, little girl, do you want to be on my good side?"

She hesitated before nodding rigidly.

"Wonderful, come here then," Klaus said and smiled. The girl looked at him cautiously, but she obeyed, he kneeled in front of her and tapped his cheek.

"Give me a kiss."

Her small and cool lips touched his cheek lightly like a feather; he tapped her head before standing up.

"Good girl."

She looked at Kol who had crossed his arms over his chest, he sighed and kneeled.

"Fine," he snorted and turned his cheek towards her. She kissed him as well and touched his shoulder softly with her head. For a moment Klaus could have sworn that his brother was uncomfortable, although he tried to look careless.

"Yes, yes…" Kol muttered and tapped the girl's head. "But do not dare to call me papa."

Her eyebrows furrowed.

"You are not my papa."

"No, I am certainly not, nor am I your uncle or anything like that. Master will be fine."

Klaus chuckled.

"You can call him Kol. My name is Klaus."

She nodded and curtsied clumsily, Rebekah had probably taught her that.

"I want to go to papa now, you are not very fun" she stated and simply zoomed out.

Klaus couldn't help but to smile, she really was quite something. As far as a mistake was concerned, she wasn't too bad at all.


	7. Mind of a child

**Thank you for all of the reviews, favs and alerts, I'm sorry it took me so long to update. Eva is 8 and physically she will stay like that, but of course mentally she won't stay as a child forever. I hope that answered your question, please ask more if it didn't :)**

* * *

_Cry, little sister - Thou shall not fall  
Come to your brother - Thou shall not die  
Unchain me, sister - Thou shall not fear  
Love is with your brother - Thou shall not kill_

_Gerard McMann – Cry Little Sister_

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Mind of a child**

4 weeks later

"Eva!"

I heard papa calling me, but I was too excited to stop, I loved to hunt in the woods. Now because of the pretty bracelet papa had given to me, I could go out when ever I wanted. The sun didn't burn me anymore, but I had to be careful for not to lose the bracelet. I was moving fast like the wind and I spotted my prey ahead. With one long leap I caught it, and sank my fangs in its neck.

"Eva!"

I looked up; there was probably blood all over my face. The deer was dead so I dropped in on the ground. Papa was waiting for me in the meadow next to his horse; he raised his eyebrows when I appeared from the woods.

"Eva," he scolded. "Look at your dress; you have got bloodstains all over it. I do not think Rebekah will be happy."

"I am sorry, papa," I muttered.

He smiled and took a handkerchief from his pocket.

"Let's clean you up."

I jumped in his arms and let him to wipe the blood off my face.

"You remember that tomorrow is an important day," he said.

I nodded.

"Yes, I have to be good."

He smiled.

"That's right. And how will you be good?"

I tilted my head and thought about it.

"I cannot bite anyone, growl or show my fangs."

"Very good," he said and touched my cheek. "Everything will go well."

I hoped so, but I was a little nervous, I had never attended in any kind of dinner party. The guests would be humans; papa had said that it was important to learn how to interact with them. It had been a long time since I had spent time with humans, except the servants who I fed on. Papa had thought that I should learn more about the new me first, I hadn't really spent time with anyone except him, Rebekah and sometimes with Klaus and Kol, but they were mostly busy with their own things.

"Alright, we should go back," papa said and positioned me on top of the horse and mounted himself to sit behind me. I loved riding and papa had promised that he would get me my very own pony; he was concerned that a horse would be too big for me. Kol had said that papa spoiled me rotten and taught me wrong things; he could show how I should be trained. Papa had replied to that by suggesting him to get himself a dog. I yawned and leaned my back against papa's chest; it was still strange to be awake in the middle of the day. I was almost asleep when we arrived at the courtyard, I barely noticed all the people who bowed at papa.

"My lord."

Papa dismounted and lifted me into his arms.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," he said smiling.

"I am tired," I complained.

"I know, sweetheart, but we talked about this, it is important for you to learn how to stay awake also in the daytime."

I pouted my lips, wanting to protest, but I knew papa wouldn't ask me to do this unless it wouldn't be important, so I nodded and rubbed my eyes. Papa waited until I was ready before placing me on the ground. I yawned and took his hand when he headed inside and pumped into Kol.

"Midget," he greeted me grinning and ruffled my hair.

"Stop it," I demanded sleepily and slapped his hand.

He chuckled and looked at the bloodstains on my dress.

"Well, well, have you finally taken her hunting?"

"Yes," papa replied. "She caught a deer."

Kol snorted and rolled his eyes.

"A deer? Why not a squirrel or a rat? What a waste…"

Papa walked past him, ignoring his words. I couldn't really understand what he had meant, what was a waste? I considered about asking that, but I didn't have time when I heard Rebekah's voice.

"Elijah! What have happened to her dress?"

Papa tensed a little when Rebekah marched in front of us looking at him furiously.

"She wanted to hunt…"

"And you could not say no?" Rebekah snapped. "That is one of her better dresses; you should have made her to get changed before taking her in the woods!"

"I told her that, but she did not want to…" papa started tensely.

Rebekah crossed her arms and glared at him.

"She did not want to? Am I the only one here who is trying to raise her properly? Children need boundaries!"

"Yes, I am aware of that…"

"Apparently not," Rebekah snapped. "You are too soft, giving in to her every whim."

Papa frowned.

"Me? I believe it is you who have filled her chamber with toys."

"That is not the same thing, of course a child needs toys, but she also needs rules…"

I really didn't like when they fought, especially about me, so I let go of papa's hand and sneaked away, they didn't seem to notice that. I should have got changed when papa had told me to, but I had been too excited to go riding. I felt bad for ruining the dress and I hoped I could somehow get it clean. Silently I zoomed across the long hallways, wondering how I could fix this, when I passed the library and noticed Klaus sitting on the sofa, reading some papers. He looked up when I entered the room.

"Well, how is the little monster today?" he asked grinning.

Then something very strange happened, my eyes watered up and I started to sob. He seemed stunned.

"What…Are you alright?" he asked.

I couldn't understand why I was crying; I zoomed in front of the sofa and jumped on Klaus, wrapping my arms around him. His whole body tensed, but he tried to clumsily tap my back.

"There, there…" he muttered. "Please stop that."

"I am trying to, but I cannot," I sobbed. "Why I cannot?"

He sighed and kept tapping my back.

"Well, you are a child, if I have understood correctly your kind cry a lot and you are also a vampire, some of us feel differently than humans."

I pulled away and looked at him.

"What…what do you mean?"

He touched my shoulder and wiped my tears away with his thumb.

"You are still a young vampire, your feelings are probably stronger than they would be if you would be a human."

I rubbed my eyes and swallowed my tears.

"Are your feelings stronger?"

He snorted contemptuously.

"No, I do not have feelings."

I tilted my head and looked at him closely.

"How is that possible?"

He sighed and tapped my shoulder.

"Feelings are a weakness and I am not weak."

I was confused, how could he not have feelings?

"Well, in any case, is there some specific reason why you are crying, little girl?" he asked carelessly.

I lowered my head and touched the hem of my dress.

"I ruined my dress."

He raised his eyebrows.

"Is that all? That is not your only dress, is it?"

I shook my head.

"No, but I should not have wore it when I went hunting, now Rebekah is angry at papa because of me."

Klaus was quiet for a moment, he seemed quite uncomfortable.

"Alright… I am sure they have worked the whole thing out already, there is no need to worry."

I looked up and swallowed more tears.

"Really?"

He seemed more and more uncomfortable, but he managed to smile.

"Yes."

I felt relieved, but also exhausted, all my feelings had worn me out. I couldn't understand them and I didn't know how to handle them. Another thing I had to learn about the new me. I yawned, since papa wasn't here, I leaned my head on Klaus' chest and curled into a fetal position on his lap.

"Hey," he protested. "What are you doing, little girl?"

"I am tired," I muttered and placed his hand under my cheek.

"Just a minute here…" he started tensely, but I couldn't really hear him, I was almost asleep already.

"Oh great…" he muttered, but before I fell asleep, I felt him stroking my hair. That was a nice thing to do, especially since he didn't have any feelings.


	8. Strange little feeling

_She's fading away_  
_Away from this world_  
_Drifting like a feather_  
_She's not like the other girls_  
_She lives in the clouds_  
_And talks to the birds_  
_Hopeless little one_  
_She's not like the other girls_

_The Rasmus – Not Like the Other Girls_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Strange little feeling**

Elijah opened the door to Eva's chamber, but she wasn't there. Where could she be, he had looked everywhere. The poor child probably thought that Rebekah was mad at her because of the dress. He asked few servants, but no one had seen her. Elijah was starting to be worried when he opened the door to the library. She didn't usually spend time there, but now she was curled up on Klaus' lap like a kitten. Elijah froze and stared at them, Klaus had been stroking her hair, but he stopped immediately when he noticed Elijah.

"Finally," Klaus huffed. "Don't just stand there; get her off me."

Elijah frowned.

"What is going on here?"

"What does it look like, apparently she thinks that I am some kind of mattress," Klaus snapped, but Elijah noticed that he kept his voice down; he didn't want to wake her. The whole scene was so strange that Elijah had to struggle for not to laugh.

"What?" Klaus snapped.

"Nothing," Elijah replied innocently.

Klaus huffed and carelessly touched Eva's hair.

"Does she sleep like this with you?"

Elijah nodded.

"Yes, very often, she does not like to sleep alone in her chamber. I have tried to encourage her for that, but right now I think it is more important that she feels safe."

"Hmm. She still likes to sleep in the daytime?"

"Yes, it is quite hard for her to stay awake the whole day, as you can see."

Klaus bit his lip and looked at her.

"Do you know how old she is?" he asked.

"She told me that she is 8," Elijah replied.

Klaus seemed surprised.

"8? I would have guessed 6 at most, she is so tiny."

"Yes, she seems to be small for her age. And…I am not completely sure how becoming a vampire and being alone for so long after that have affected her mental state, the whole thing could have been too much to handle even for an adult."

They were both quiet for a while and looked at her; she looked like a little angel when she was asleep.

"How are you doing with her?" Klaus finally asked. "Have there been any problems?"

Elijah shook his head.

"No, nothing so far. Of course she has a lot to learn, I am sure she is still confused."

"Yes…" Klaus muttered. Carefully he touched her cheek; the gentleness of the gesture was almost surprising.

"She truly is quite something… I think that I should participate more in her training."

Elijah's eyebrows furrowed.

"As I already said to Kol, she is a child, not a dog…"

"Yes, I know," Klaus huffed. "I am not planning to teach her to fetch."

Elijah crossed his arms and looked at his brother harshly. Klaus sighed.

"Fine, perhaps I feel some responsibility towards her. Happy now?"

Elijah was genuinely surprised; this was the last thing he had expected from his brother.

"You are feeling remorse?"

"No," Klaus muttered tensely. "That is not what I said, I do not even know if my blood turned her…" He paused and sighed. "However, I am not proud of what happened to her, I would not have done something like this intentionally."

Elijah believed him and he knew that his brother felt remorse, no matter what he said.

"I think it is safe to say that she will never be able to take care of herself alone," Klaus muttered. "Perhaps we should make some kind of plan for her future."

"I will take care of her and I know Rebekah will too," Elijah said calmly.

"Yes… She considers you as her father."

Elijah stared at his brother, was there actually a hint of jealousy in his voice? That sounded unbelievable, this was Niklaus, a ruthless and merciless vampire who thought that feelings were a weakness.

"Could you get her off me already, I have better things to do," Klaus huffed carelessly.

Elijah bent down and scooped the sniffling little creature up as carefully as he could.

"I do not want to get up…" she muttered.

Elijah couldn't help but to smile.

"It's alright, sweetheart, you can sleep now. We will try again tomorrow."

She sighed in content and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I love you, papa."

For a moment Elijah was speechless, he was feeling something he had never felt before. The warmth and the strong need to protect this fragile little creature felt overwhelming. Finally he managed to clear his throat; the girl was already fast asleep.

"I should take her to her bed," he muttered and walked out without looking at his brother. She truly was tiny, she almost felt weightless in his arms. Someone as small and fragile as her definitely shouldn't be a vampire. He wondered what the world looked like now through her eyes, had she been very different when she had been a human.

To be honest, he didn't know much about children, but it wasn't difficult to tell that her mind worked differently than normal children. Perhaps things would have been different if someone would have been there to guide her from the beginning, but now she was in many ways like a newborn child, trying to understand things her mind couldn't have comprehend when she had been alone without knowing what she was and what had happened to her.

Silently he opened the door to her chamber which Rebekah had decorated; everything was made especially for her, including the smaller furniture. The window was carefully covered; she still didn't like the sunlight, although it didn't burn her anymore. She had the whole army of dolls and wooden animals, most of them lying neatly on a bookshelf, but there were plenty of dolls on her bed as well. She didn't seem to play with them much; she enjoyed spending time outdoors running and chasing things, whether they were prey or Niklaus' lackeys who, as surprising as that was, seemed to be completely mushy with her, they literally allowed her to walk all over them.

Elijah removed some of the dolls in order to make room for his little sleepyhead; she huffed in her sleep when he tucked her in. She probably wouldn't wake up before the sunset and she would definitely be hungry. Usually she had to feed on at least three people before she was full, that was something that had concerned Elijah from time to time.

According to Rebekah's theory, she needed more blood because she was a growing child, but that was the thing, she really wasn't a growing child. She would never be any bigger than she was now, she wouldn't age or grow. She would be this tiny creature forever… Elijah pressed his lips together and wiped hair out of her face. He truly was concerned, but he was determined to look after her, no matter what.


End file.
